Forced Vengeance: Jake Mudd Adventures

By Scot Morgan

Jake's days of operating under the radar are over. Old enemies are now intent on making his living as much a struggle for survival as for credits.

 

To secure a new black market license, he travels the backwaters of the galaxy to a sprawling cesspool in space, a city of dead ends and lost hopes.

 

Staying alive becomes a full-time job, and Jake is blindsided when he's framed for murders he didn't commit.

 

Proving his innocence and surviving become one and the same as he is forced into a trial by combat against some of the worst criminals the galaxy has to offer.

 

But he's facing more than the fight for his life, when he learns his enemies are targeting Sarah. Time is running out for Jake to save himself, clear his name, and reunite with his beloved ship before she's taken for good.

 

He didn't want to play dirty, but they left him no choice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inka Press
• Release date: Apr 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223716877

Book preview

1

The drop out of the fold in space was smooth, as usual, but Jake awoke seconds later to his ship's frustrating sense of humor. His head rose a few inches above the padded roll on his bed shelf before coming back down with a thud. The pillow gave some protection against the solid surface beneath it, but not enough to keep him from experiencing the onset of a slight headache.

He groaned as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed. Before his eyes were ready, the lights came on.

Good morning, Jake. His ship Sarah spoke with a cheerfulness Jake took as the perfection of sarcasm.

Yeah, right. You too.

You asked me to wake you when we reached Eon Station.

How'd you manage to hit a bump in space? Did you run over something?

What? Oh, no. I must've made an error when activating the impulse drive. Sorry about that.

Jake got up and stretched his arms. He rubbed some feeling into his stubbled jaw. Then he reached for his brown leather jacket hanging on the hook nearby. He donned it over his broad shoulders and slipped his feet into his boots. He left his holstered blaster and belt hanging on the other hook.

How far out are we?

Far enough to allow for the fold without drawing attention to ourselves. A few minutes to the space station at this speed.

When we get closer, slow down and notify me.

Will do, boss. You know…

What is it?

A shower might be a good idea.

Jake looked into the camera on the wall above his holster belt. Funny.

You know I have sensors, right?

Jake took his belt off the hook and put it on. I'm heading to the bridge. I want to get a look at the station. It's been a long time.

Of course. It's coming into view now.

Jake walked over to the door of the elevator to the bridge. He stepped in front of it and caught a glimpse of his tousled brown hair in the reflection before the door slid open. As he entered, he raised his arm, tilted his head toward it, and sniffed. She's crazy.

Coming out of the lift he got his first look at the massive space city of Eon. It had been a couple of years since he'd visited the space station metropolis. He could see it had grown even from the sprawling conglomeration he remembered it to be.

Eon first served as a refueling and trading outpost for those braving the uncertain frontier of this part of the galaxy. Over the years, it drew the wayward and the unseemly with its offer of unbridled opportunities for profit and mischief, and for the absence of interference by the various policing organizations which hampered much of the trading galaxy with law and order.

Word quickly spread through the many networks of ruffians and the unruly. In time, more of those sorts came from across the vastness of space to do business at Eon, and often settled there. The remote space station grew to accommodate those who came.

Now it stood as a gargantuan city, fixed in space, alone in its galactic neighborhood. It played host to the underbelly of the universe, with kingpins and factions carving out their own sleazy pieces of the city. A dangerous place where anything could happen and all could be had for a price, it was just the place Jake needed.

Are you sure you can get one there? Sarah asked as Jake walked over to the large viewing window and took in the sight.

No doubt someone has one. If it's black market, then you can get it in Eon. An anonymized shipping license will be harder to track down than some things, but I'm sure I can find one.

I'm sorry about what happened.

It wasn't your fault. I don't know how Hyde did it. He must've paid off the right people. Still, I've never heard of a shadow license being cracked.

You don't think he'll come after us here, do you? I know he can't trace us on the shipping registry this time, but…

Doubtful. As bad a character as he is, this isn't his neck of the galaxy. He may not even know how to find Eon. It's not exactly on the official maps.

I'm just glad you got back on board from Daedalon before his ships could attack.

Me too. You're a tough lady, but I didn't want to test his fleet.

Jake stared at Eon. A ten thousand times larger than his cargo ship, the space station city crawled with activity. Vessels docked and took off at multiple hubs around the perimeter of the station. The glow of lights from the hundreds of buildings created an effect like a sky at sunset. That's how it always was, Jake remembered, perpetual dusk. The inhabitants of Eon liked it that way. Nothing was ever exposed to the light of day.

They're hailing us now, Sarah said.

Jake stepped over to his captain's chair and sat, resting his hands on the wide arms of the seat. He swiveled the blocky unit to face the wall-sized display screen off to his right.

Bring them up.

An Eon border official appeared on the screen. It was a humanoid creature, with soot black skin which overlapped itself in rolls across its face. Jake couldn't see the rest of the official, and he couldn't decide if it was male or female.

Identity? the border officer said, though its mouth moved for longer than the time it took for Jake to hear the word.

You sure you're giving me the whole translation? he asked.

Yes, Sarah said, that's all.

Class 4 Tarian Cargo Vessel in need of supplies, Jake said. No passengers. Just passing through. Permission to land.

Everyone was 'just passing through' at Eon, or at least that was the answer everybody gave. Jake knew the routine.

The creature turned to look at something off-screen for a moment, then it faced front again. Denied.

What? Jake shifted in his chair, then leaned forward. We're just passing through. We need to refuel and get some basic supplies. Requesting permission to land.

Denied.

Seriously?

Why do you question my seriousness?

Jake glared at one of Sarah's cameras. Then he quickly ran through his options in his head. He remembered a name from his last visit. There was a man, using the term loosely, who helped him out of a run-in with one of the officials.

Actually, he said, I'm also here to see Chori Kawf.

The official once again looked off-screen. Jake saw him mouthing something.

What's he saying? Jake asked Sarah, deciding the alien was male.

I don't know. He's muted the audio.

The alien officer paused, appearing to listen to someone. Then he turned back to Jake.

You will dock your ship in the secure holding area where it will undergo inspection. It will remain there in quarantine until you depart Eon.

You must be kidding. Don't translate that.

What shall I tell him? Sarah asked.

Jake considered whether he could talk the official out of having his ship on lockdown. What if he needed to get back to Sarah in a hurry? And inspected? That was just asking for trouble. Especially since he was nearly tapped out of credits. No chance he could offer a respectable bribe if it came up. He could decline and come back in the shuttle to see if they'd let him in that way. But, he realized, coming there in a shuttle would arouse suspicion.

We're not carrying anything too illegal, are we? he asked Sarah.

Not really, she said. Nothing which would be out of place here, anyway.

Tell him we'll dock as advised.

You're just going to leave me there and let them snoop around in me?

You'll be fine. All you need to do is act… try not to piss them off.

Fine. But you better not take too long.

Sarah relayed the edited version of Jake's response to the Eon Station border official and received the clearance code and directions to the assigned docking point.

The screen went to black.

If you go down there and get yourself locked up, or worse, Sarah said, I'm not hanging around waiting for you.

You don't mean that, darlin'.

Well… just be careful. OK?

Careful's my middle name.

Oh! Honestly! Why do I put up with you?

Jake rose from his chair. Because you couldn't go on without me.

Ugh.

He went back to the viewing window and watched as they flew in for the approach and made their way around the perimeter of the station, heading toward the docking port.

2

Jake felt bad leaving Sarah in the holding area, but he realized he had no choice. At least he knew where to find her if things went sour, though under those circumstances getting through the layers of security to get back to her would be no easy task. He knew he could reach her on the comm link on his belt, but running the streets without drawing too much attention meant not having her on the line providing commentary the whole time.

As he stood holding the identification card he was assigned when he first stepped out of his ship, he nearly laughed at the extent of the security ring he'd passed through.

Somebody's really taking things seriously around here now.

The man in front of him appeared to be the last one who would need to check his ID card. Jake held it up to the man.

Reason for your visit?

The uniformed officer wore a small metal box fixed in front of his throat by a band wrapped around his neck. Jake noticed five red lights flicker out of sync as he heard the man's words. He also heard a second vocalization from the officer at the same time, but it was more of an undertone. His native language, no doubt, Jake thought.

Do you want the same answer I gave the other six guys or something new?

The man had obviously heard that one before. He sighed before speaking again. Reason for your visit?

Jake noted the color and style of the officer's uniform looked remarkably like that of Crassus Kharn, the tyrant he'd faced off against on Daedalon weeks earlier.

You ever met a Cracian?

Are you a Cracian?

Not by a long shot. Never mind. I'm here to pick up some supplies. Just routine. Passing through.

Right. Passing through. OK, then. The officer stepped to the side and waved Jake on.

He winked at the man, then walked past him and out the door at the end of the hall.

When he stepped out of the building, Eon looked, sounded, and smelled more like he remembered. Tall buildings blocked out a third of the celestial view, and the blanket of clouds, which he knew to be smog, obscured another third. He noted a few of the flaming spires and pipes on the tops of the buildings belching crap into the space station's artificial atmosphere. A mist, the settling pollution, drifted down in the warm air to cover everything with a dank odor.

Jake felt it coat his face and hands as he stood, deciding which way to head. He nudged a piece of trash away from his foot, and listened to the clamor of activity—conversations of passers-by, the hum of transport vehicles as they flew between the buildings, the shuffle of feet, the heated voices of confrontations, and the whispers of shady deals.

The street, lit from all around with a play of color and glow, stretched far to his left and right. In front of him, towers of metal and brownish glass formed a wall which rose into the dirty pseudo clouds. Alien signage jutted out the sides of the buildings, offering goods and services a guy would be jailed for in any civilized place. Jake could make out some of the signs. He'd picked up a few alien tongues in his travels. But many of them made their offers clear enough with pictures.

Storefront shacks huddled against the buildings and down into the alleyways between them. They were scraped together collections of castaway materials. Merchants gestured and presented items to potential customers who stepped up to the shops.

He found himself in a busy scene of people headed along the walkways in every direction. People is an easy term. They were aliens. Every shape, size, color, and who-knows-what you could imagine. But then again, so was he.

The dim lighting and long shadows of the tall buildings all around made everyone look like they were up to no good. Or maybe, Jake thought, they were up to no good. But then again, so was he.

Where to start?

Jake appreciated that he could walk the city without drawing attention, at least until he had to punch somebody in the face. And even then, most would mind their own business. Everyone had an agenda. If he didn't cross their path, and they stayed out of his way, finding a seller for the license would be just a matter of time.

I would never do that! A man’s voice cried out.

Jake turned to the source. A thin elderly man working the nearest shop cowered away from two creatures twice his size. Big around the waist, and with a thick matted streak of hair down their shirtless backs, each of the heavies appeared to be a cross between an oversized man and a herd animal, though their legs were normal aside from being large. The heavyset pair leaned in toward the shop owner. One of them bumped the corrugated rusted tin which served as the shack's roof, knocking it back a foot and tilting one of the two support posts.

Jake kept his distance, observing. He couldn't understand what the two were saying to the frightened merchant, but they were obviously unhappy with the man.

The one that bumped the roof reached in and took hold of the shopkeeper's collar, yanking him forward across the counter.

No. Please don't, the man said as he floundered on top of his wares. Electronic devices and parts spilled off the display. The bruiser held the shopkeeper up with one hand and threatened him with the fist of his other.

Jake heard more alien gibberish from the thug. He felt like jumping in and sorting the two goons out, but he knew he needed to move around the city with discretion, given his purpose there. Eon Station officials expected the city's inhabitants to run on the shady side, but a contraband galactic shipping license bordered on stepping over the line.

Better to let it go. They're just scaring him. Shame. No respect for the elderly these days.

Then the second one patted his partner on the shoulder. The one holding the merchant shook the trembling man. Then he glanced to his left at his interfering partner. Jake watched a heated exchange between the two bruisers. The one on the left shoved the other. The one on the right released the old man and shoved his partner back. The merchant scrambled off the counter and ducked underneath the display table.

Jake imagined what the two partners screamed at each other for the next few seconds, but it still sounded like gibberish to him. He saw the shopkeeper scurry across the floor of his shop and rush through a door at the back, slamming it shut.

Good for him, Jake said. He peered down the street, blindly choosing a path for himself. Might as well start walking.

He made a point of giving the two arguing thugs a wide berth as he passed them. When he crossed in front of the shop, the two men traded punches. Then one of them rammed the other one, knocking him back several feet. Jake tried to get out of the man's path, but a crowd of people behind him watching the scuffle blocked his path. The beast man slammed into Jake. He stumbled but kept on his feet.

Easy, big guy, Jake said.

The thug whipped around toward him. He screamed something which came out with a great deal of spit. Jake figured that little nugget of alien gibberish was a well-chosen profanity. He didn't fault the man for it, but the nasty-smelling saliva he felt splash across